Draft Industrial Storm Water General Permit Renewal Hearing Set

Hearing Scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Jan. 9, 2017

Ohio EPA will hold a hearing to accept comments on renewing the state’s National Pollution Discharge Elimination System General Permit for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity.

The hearing will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2017, in the Ohio EPA Lazarus Government Center sixth floor Conference Room A, 50 W. Town St., Columbus. All visitors should bring photo identification in order to register at the security desk in the lobby upon arrival.

This permit is considered for renewal every five years. The draft permit specifies industries that must implement best practices to minimize or eliminate contamination of storm water. Businesses that are required to be covered, must submit a Notice of Intent to Ohio EPA as well as a storm water pollution prevention plan. Ohio EPA reviews these documents to ensure companies manage potential runoff.

Verbal or written comments will be accepted at the hearing. Written comments also will be accepted through Jan. 16, 2017. Written comments should have permit number OHR000006 next to the address on the envelope and on each page of submitted comments.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1972 to consolidate efforts to protect and improve air quality, water quality and waste management in Ohio. Since then, air pollutants dropped by as much as 90 percent; large rivers meeting standards improved from 21 percent to 89 percent; and hundreds of polluting, open dumps were replaced with engineered landfills and an increased emphasis on waste reduction and recycling.